Getty Jalen Brunson.
The New York Knicks have a new point guard in town with Jalen Brunson, and he marks a massive upgrade over the likes of Kemba Walker and Alec Burks from just a season ago.
While it’s only the preseason, there’s been a lot to like about Brunson and there are fans excited to see where it leads. Since leaving the Dallas Mavericks, members of the organization have been raving about Brunson’s skill set.
Both Jason Kidd and Mark Cuban have spoken openly about how much they loved having him in Dallas.
“The biggest thing is I’m happy he got paid,” said Kidd. “He helped us. I know Cuban doesn’t like this, but I love when I can get a player get paid.”
The Knicks faced off against the Indiana Pacers in their second preseason game, a victory for New York, and Brunson was able to see a familiar face on the sideline.
Brunson’s former Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is now coach of the Pacers, and he had plenty to say about his former point guard.
Carlisle Raves About Brunson
While he has no accolades for himself, the people around Brunson see something special about him and can’t stop raving about him.
In an interview, via the New York Post, Carlisle calls Brunson a “special” player.
“Jalen Brunson’s one of my favorite guys that I ever coached in however many years of coaching,” he said. “Going back to my assistant days, it’s been over 30 years, and he’s just very, very special. He’s a winning player that would fit with any team at any level. He figures it out. He’ll be great here. He’ll be great.”
With so many people singing Brunson’s praises, the Knicks must have a real talent on their hands, and that’s something that looks to be true through two preseason games.
Of course, Brunson playing well is just one step in the right direction, but there will need to be many things that need to go right for the team to make the playoffs.
Missing That Star
Brunson is a major pickup for the Knicks, but they did miss out on acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. Instead, they traded the star guard to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that might prove to be rough for the Knicks as it’s yet another team that is now ahead of them in the playoff standings, provided the Cavs make the leap that’s expected of them.
The Knicks boast one of the deepest rosters in all of the NBA, but they don’t have that “star” that can take over a team and get a bucket whenever the situation calls for it. It seems like the time for a blockbuster trade has come and gone, so the roster as it’s currently built looks like the one that will be going into the season.
It should be enough to be competitive day in and day out, but there could be problems that arise once the playoffs come around, provided the Knicks make it there. They are currently projected as a play-in team, but things can change in a hurry in the wild world of the NBA.